Field of the Present Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a triboelectric energy generator, and, more particularly, to a three-dimensional triboelectric energy generator to harvest electrical energies from micro-mechanical energies in a more spatial-efficient manner.
Discussion of the Related Art
The triboelectric effect is a type of contact electrification in which certain materials become electrically charged after they come into frictional contact with a different material. For example, rubbing glass with fur, or a comb through the hair, can build up triboelectricity. The polarity and strength of the charges produced differ according to the materials, surface roughness, temperature, strain, and other properties. An energy harvester using friction-to-electric conversion is a new eco-friendly electric-generator to convert a wasted mechanical energy resulting from human movement or external microscopic vibration to an electric energy. That is, this energy harvester is different from a previous solar cell, wind energy generator, fuel cell, etc. in terms of an energy harvesting manner.
The triboelectric energy generator may convert a mechanical energy to an electrical energy. However, the state-of-the art triboelectric energy generator may be poor at conversion of micro mechanical energies to electrical energies. With a conventional energy harvesting device, external three-dimensional micro-mechanical energies application may lead only to two-dimensional forces application in view of two contacting elements. Thus, one dimensional force may be lost. As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a conventional triboelectric energy harvester may harvest energies based on the two-dimensional force. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the conventional triboelectric energy harvester may harvest energies based on a vertical movement (y axial direction) (this type may be referred to as a push type). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1B, the conventional triboelectric energy harvester may harvest energies based on a horizontal movement (y axial direction) (this type may be referred to as a slide type). That is, the energy may be harvested based on only the two-dimensional force. Thus, one dimensional force may be lost.
Therefore, there is a need for a triboelectric energy harvester configured to be sensitive to a three-dimensional force.
A relevant prior art may be as follows: US 20140246950 A1 (2014, Sep. 4); Flexible triboelectric generator, Nano Energy, 2012, 1 (2), 328-334 (NPL: non-patent literature).